Senior U.S. intelligence officials say the health of Cuban President Fidel Castro is improving and that he could return to power.

On Tuesday the unnamed officials said a complete recovery is unlikely for the 80-year-old Mr. Castro, who had surgery in July. However, they say his condition appears to have improved since initial assessments that suggested Mr. Castro could have cancer.

Intelligence officials say the Cuban leader's more likely ailments include a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract (such as Crohn's disease or diverticulitis), complicated by Parkinson's disease.

Mr. Castro has not appeared in public since the surgery, but Cuba has released photos of him meeting foreign dignitaries.

Last December, then-director of U.S. national intelligence John Negroponte said Mr. Castro might only have months to live.